For the Week Ending Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017

Wednesday, Aug. 9 (from Ken)...After Saturday's skunk, I felt a need to get back out there and try something different than what I fished then. Turns out I managed to catch a few fish, including a couple of dinks, a 1-0, 1-2 and a 1-6. Two of the bass went for a small Senko. The other three fell for a small crankbait. Everything came out of West Neck. Unfortunately, the day ended on a sour note. I've been having a trolling-motor problem about the last four or five trips, and it all came to a head today. Something in the unit appears to be binding, cause my operating speed has been growing less each trip. Called my mechanic at the end of the day, and he came out to the marina, removed my trolling motor, and tucked it in the back of my van for transport to Tom in Suffolk in the morning. Got my fingers crossed I'll be back in business sometime next week.

Wednesday, Aug. 9 (from Charlie)...Found seven dink bass and one at 3-0, plus a 2-12 bowfin to end the day. Tried mostly crankbaits. Had a few taps but the majority wanted a swimbait. Most dinks went for a small beetlespin. Big bass hit the swimbait with no weight. When I got to my favorite spot first thing in the morning, a bass boat was sitting on the hole and stayed there for an hour. When he passed me on the way out, I went back and got the big bass. A pleasant day for a change.

Thursday, Aug. 10 (from Ray)...Fished the lower and upper West Neck Creek today. Thought it would be a good day but only caught three bass (a 1.10 and two dinks), along with four bream. Had several more strikes on topwater but couldn't hook 'em. The lures that worked were the Whopper Plopper and KVD 1.0 crankbait. Water temperature was 76/78, and it was fairly clear and at a good level. The grass seems to be increasing at a high rate.

Friday, Aug. 11 (from Charlie)...Another killer day! Can't believe I've had such good luck the last two weeks. I was out early to try and miss the rain. The water was in the upper 70s, and it was clear in the grass beds. Calm winds and an overcast sky made for some really active fish. The bite was steady all morning, and if it hadn't been for a doctor's appointment, I'd have stayed a lot longer--rain or not. It was that good. I'm always surprised that the fish prefer one bait over everything else you throw, but while swimbaits were the ticket on Wednesday, they wouldn't touch 'em today. I still got a few on alternate baits, but the hollow-bodied frog was the killer this morning. Got 16 with it, but also picked up 8 on the Whopper Plopper. Missed a lot of strikes on the WP, and the ones I did get were hooked everywhere but in the mouth. Meanwhile, the frog almost always was completely down the throat after some tremendous explosive strikes. Today's overall totals were one white perch and 24 bass, with the best five going 1-10, 2-0, 2-4, 3-8, and 3-9, for a grand total of 12-11. It just doesn't get much better than today.

Saturday, Aug. 12 (from Ron)...With the spotty thunderstorms, decided to launch at the drawbridge on North Landing. Stayed close to cover and the culvert leading to upper North Landing. Stripers were biting well, and I caught four. Also lost two fish on break offs that may have been a gar. Had one nice keeper striper that went just over 20 inches and weighed in at 2-14. Also caught a dink bass. All bites fell to a small crankbait running about 3.5 feet deep. Tried Zoom Flukes and Whopper Plopper to no avail. Good to be back on the water.

Looked like a big cell of nastiness to the west, so launched Munden Point and stayed close to launch till about 0900.  The cell spilt north and south so headed across North Landing and into a creek south of Snake Creek.  Very poor and intermittent bite.  

Sunday, Aug. 13 (from Ron)...Caught several panfish, including three crappie to 11 inches, on the beetlespin, as well as a 9-inch yellow perch, but oddly no white perch. Tried everything in the arsenal. Water was high but flowing out, so shifted to plastics and grass-choked feeder creeks. Threw a SwimSenko into a feeder creek and had a violent attack. While reeling the fish, I thought it was a small bass or panfish until he got close to the yak, but it then took off and made my drag scream. My initial thought was a pesky gar, but it turned out to be a nice big ol' bowfin. Made my day at 24 inches and 5 lb 8 ozs. Managed a few dinks and what I think was a "sub dink" and called it a day.